In total Dobrin biked up to 7,200 kilometres,
which averages out to about 290 kilometres per day. (enlarge
photo)

“A few years ago I had the idea to go across
Canada,” said Dobrin. “Out of curiosity I looked into the
Guinness world record just to see what it was and thought
to myself ‘Hey, I think I can do that.’”

There was rough terrain and bad weather
but Dobrin says the advice he got from the previous record
holder Erik Sraarup, who biked across Canada in 27 days, kept
him motivated.

"In terms of psychologically he just always said
remember, think lots about the people back home, and the people
that are rooting for you. Because those times when you want
to quit, thinking about them is what's going to make you keep
going."

He departed from English Bay with
his brother Alex driving behind him. However, he rode on his
own from Calgary onward until his oldest brother Dan met up
with him in Gander, N.L. The trip was a mental and physical
challenge.

“It gets really depressing when you’re
by yourself all the time and you’re trying to bike 300 kilometres
a day,” Dobrin said.

His knees and feet hurt and a pinched nerve
caused him to lose some feeling in his right hand.
“(At) about 130 kilometres away I
was thinking … that I wouldn’t be able to make it,” Dobrin
said. “Then all of a sudden, (Alex’s) SUV pulls up next to
me.”

Dobrin gave his brother his backpack and
any extra weight he had on the bike. “It was incredibly encouraging
and relieving that I wouldn’t have to finish alone.”

Cornel Dobrin wrote on his
Facebook page: "My first 430km day I stopped
3 times in shops along the way because of rain. Each time
I buried my face in my arms and cried. I had lost all hope.
But when it came down to it, I got back up and went out there
in the rain again to be battered and beaten some more before
having to stop and cry again. You may have to take a breather
every once in a while, but make sure you get back up."